Being in Europe for the last 9 weeks have got us thinking about several different topics.
1. We don't need so much space
With exception to our house in Les Angles (Avignon), our apartments have ranged between 550 sqft (in Paris) to the "monsterous" 1000 sqft condo in South Kensington. Being in such tight living quarters makes us view space a littler different back home in Calgary where it seems anything less than 1500 sqft is considered cramped. Do we need it all? We managed just fine in all spaces. Siew brought up a good point though that small spaces may be fine when the kids are small - but when they are tweeners maybe not so much.
2. We should pay more for gas
People complain about gas prices in Calgary screaming at $1.20/L (at least when I left) and how it is outrageous. Well filling up in Les Angles, I paid 1.34 Euros/L which equals $1.87/L. These are standard everyday prices that Europeans have paid for a long time. Yet instead of complaining about it they have chosen to act by improving their public transportation infrastructure and driving fuel efficient cars. I think in order for us as Canadians to really shift our thinking, it would take a significant jump in gas prices before people are forced to find alternative ways of getting around.
3. We need to re-evaluate our consumption & waste
I guess this is just an extension of the previous 2 points, but I think we just need to really be conscious of how much we consume and throw. Whether it is space, fuel, food, garbage - everything. I think that we do a fairly good job of recycling everything possible, but perhaps I will set up that compost that I've been thinking about as well as hang up a clothes line.
4. Canada's recycling program is light years ahead of Europe
This was a big a shock to us as anything of the lack of recycling that goes on here. For all the fuel efficiency and alternative transport they promote here, their recycling program seems non-existent in many ways and resembles the programs we had in the 1980's when recycling was first being done on a city wide basis in Canada. For example, you can only recycle glass, and paper. They do not accept plastic containers of any sort, tetra paks, cardboard etc. And for some cities, you have to walk several blocks to put your glass in a special bin. Since people are lazy, they usually end up trashing it.
5. Eat Local
In Europe and much of Asia, many of the allergies that we have in North America are unheard of or rare. Things such as hay fever or nut allergies don't get much attention. There is a theory that my other boss (Greg) has about this that I find interesting. It's called the "Wonder Bread" theory. Basically if you look at the ingredient list of a loaf of Wonder Bread, many of the ingredients are unrecognizable. Basically the point is food manufacturers continue to modify ingredients to cut costs, increase shelf life etc. to a state where the modified ingredient has no resemblance of what you needed in the first place. The cumulative effect of daily consumption over a span of 20 years leads to sensitivities to naturally occurring substances and ingredients. I have a similar theory that is along the same lines where we pump our meat etc with so many hormones that it screws our body somehow. Have you seen a chicken breast in America versus Europe? The American one is literally 3 times the size. In any event, the point is goes back to eating foods that haven't been modified and that come from a place that is local. We try to do this but I think that we may make a bigger effort when we head home... in 3 days :(
